It's a Wonderful Life
by Poison-and-Foxglove
Summary: ALL GAARAXLEE FANS hey, this is a little story i wrote based off of that really old movie that comes on every Christmas Eve. Lee takes the place of George. It's cute. gaaraxlee hint of sasuxnaru I HAVE POSTED LAST CHAPTER!
1. Chapter 1

**It's a wonderful life**

**Poison- **Hello everyone. You may know me as Foxglove's editor, that is, if she's posted any of her story. It's called welcome to Ed's black parade. It should be good (I think.) She doesn't know about this story. I was originally going to write a story called Gaara, you pervert! But it's Christmas Eve. Why should that matter, you ask? Every Christmas Eve they play a movie on TV from the 1940's. I thought it was bogus to watch such an old movie at first, but then I was drawn in. You may have seen it. It's called It's a wonderful life thus the name of this story. I shall be replacing the role of George Bailey with Rock Lee and it shall be very different but follow the same guideline. I'd like to thank everyone who worked on that movie (if any of them are still alive) for inspiring me to write this story. I deleted Gaara, you pervert right away, threw in my All American Rejects CD (with my My Chemical Romance, AFI, Panic at the Disco, Hyde, and J-pop CD for back up) and clicked up Microsoft Word. The movie made me all teary-eyed and I hope this story will touch you the same way it will teach me (hopefully.) I hope you learn a lesson from this story and it will let you see the world differently. (I'm corny, I know.) And yes, there will be shonen-ai. (Hey, Gaara, you pervert was going to be a full blown yaoi, so don't complain.) But really, this is going to be a cute story. I'm getting all teary-eyed again (because it Ends Tonight is playing.) So touching! I'll begin now, before I start crying. This story will be short.

**Foxglove-** Hey guys! Now I get to be her editor…so I'd best get to editing! We love all our readers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does (he's actually pretty cute) and this story isn't really his type of thing. I'm sorry if this would ever make him angry…

**Chappie one, y'all (Too late! I'm already crying!)**

(Before I begin the story, has anyone but me noticed that in the show Rock Lee doesn't use contractions? It's like he's never seen an apostrophe before. Normal: doesn't. Rock Lee: does not. I pointed this out so no one would think my writing is weird.)

A small soft white snowflake landed on Rock Lee's tongue and quickly melted. He licked up the water that remained on his tongue. He loved the snow. It sparkled as it fell, like a wide and expanding Christmas tree. That is, if you were brave enough to look up while it was snowing since the snow pierced your eyes. Rock Lee had his bushy brows to protect him from that.

He kicked lightly at a pile of snow. Christmas Eve was tomorrow, and he couldn't wait. It would be his first with real friends. All those Christmas' spent when he was younger were with all the kids that would poke and prod and make fun of him. The only person he'd really ever had before now was Gai. He grinned as he found that all his friends wouldn't fit on all ten fingers. He would have to use his toes.

"Lee, the hot cocoa's ready!" Hinata's shy voice called to him. Of course. He'd been the only one that felt like stepping out into the snow. Everyone else was inside, waiting for Hinata to fix up some cocoa. He could hear the light ring of the oven as he smelt the scent of freshly baked Christmas cookies. He remembered something Gai had told him. _Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings… _Not that he believed in angels.

He ran to the door, a very unwise thing to do, and slipped on the ice. Slip. Bam. He landed on his chin and felt a trickle of blood run out of his mouth. He'd only bitten his tongue. Nothing serious.

"Lee! Are you alright!" Hinata was already running towards him. He sat up and wiped the blood that had dripped past his chin onto his sleeve. "I am fine," he told her. Nothing hurt as much as his leg. Had he shattered it? He couldn't tell. He was a ninja. He could live with it.

He stood up slowly, unbending his leg slowly, not letting Hinata see the pain he was in. The girl worried so easily. He limped with her to the door.

And there they were, all of his friends sitting at a large round table. Kakashi and Gai were sitting on soft recliners, sipping tea by the fire. It was almost amusing to see Gai this civilized. He limped to the table and saw the only open spot beside Hinata's. He saw Gaara eye his limp suspiciously, but thankfully say nothing.

(AN: Alas, but where would this story go if we didn't have any problems for our protagonist?)

His lame leg rammed into one of the table legs and caused the table to shake. The drinks mostly just shook in a Jurassic Park fashion (AN: I don't care if you don't get that joke; I'm moving along) but Neji's drink fell over and shattered, spilling steaming hot cocoa and shards of the mug onto his lap.

"Ahhh! Hot! Sharp!" Neji cried as he leaped out of his seat. Blood and cocoa ran down his legs.

"Oh my god; I am so sorry! Let me help!"

Neji held up his hand. "No. Stay there. I don't want to leg of yours to knock anything else over."

"I'm sorry, I just did not see the table leg there-"

"I'm surprised you can see anything with those eyebrows of yours."

Silence.

Rock Lee hung his head. If he'd just told Hinata that he'd hurt his leg, he could've had her help him and Neji wouldn't be mad at him. Idiot.

Lee didn't see, but Gaara shot Neji a death glare.

Hinata sensed his discomfort and sought to change the subject. "That's alright. I'll take a look at both of your legs and fix Neji another cup. Don't worry about it."

Rock Lee nodded at her and plopped down on Gai's lap.

"Hey Lee. Comfortable?" Gai asked sarcastically.

Lee nodded into his chest.

"You're freezing! How long were you out in the snow?"

He shrugged.

"You're lucky you're not my son. I'd have given you a lecture."

"I am close enough. And you have given me millions of lectures."

Gai wrapped a strong arm around Lee's shoulders. "What do you want for Christmas, Lee?"

Lee lifted his head up and looked at him. "You cannot ask me that every year. I am not your real son."

"Nonsense. You're the son I never had; the son I've always wanted. Not to mention you're the spitting image of me."

He leaned his head against Gai's shoulder and closed his eyes. What did he want? He didn't know. Gai would never believe that though.

"I do not know yet. I will think about it."

"Well, think hard."

Hinata reentered the room with first aid and Rock Lee limped up to join Neji on the couch. She bandaged up Neji's quick enough, but she had to splint Lee's. It was only a small fracture; it would heal in a few days with his ninja strength.

He slipped his orange leg-warmers back on over his splint and joined the others at the table.

They sipped their cocoa and chatted lightly, like those good old friends in the movies. Lee kept his eyes locked on Sakura. Her green eyes twinkled and her cheeks lit up when she smiled. Her laugh tinkled like one of Santa's sleigh bells and she playfully tossed her short pink hair every so often.

Lee didn't see, but Gaara kept his eyes locked on him.

Neji was in a better temper, though he didn't talk to Lee much. He'd get over it. Hopefully.

Naruto and Sasuke argued for a while at who could kick whose butt and eventually got into an argument on who would win: Edward Elric or InuYasha. Everyone took sides besides Lee and Gaara. Lee couldn't choose and Gaara didn't care.

They eventually had to decide on a draw before anything got violent. But, it was their way of showing friendly affection.

It wasn't long before Sakura brought up the big question. "So, what do you guys all want for Christmas?"

Ino spoke first of course. She wanted a never ending list of things; mostly hair care products and other things that were inaudible because she spoke so fast. Sakura quickly moved on. Kiba wanted a new coat; his was getting shabby. Bark, bark! Oh, and Akamaru wanted a bone. Shikamaru wanted anything to make life easier (lazy ass), Choji wanted snacks (what else?), Neji wanted a sword (to play with), Shino wanted more gel (for that freaky hair of his), TenTen wanted the new Ayumi Hamasaki CD (if you don't know who that is, look her up), Hinata said it was no trouble (But asked for some new skirts anyway), Naruto wanted ramen (lots of it!), and Sasuke wanted some new Kunai (extra sharp.) Sakura turned her head lovingly towards Sasuke and said she wanted a romantic night with Sasuke. He turned beet red. Would she ever figure out he was cheating on her with Naruto? Lee had kept Sakura from knowing with distractions so that her heart wouldn't be broken. He half wanted to though, so that Sakura could be his. What did he want? He told them he would think about it. Neji suggested cat-sized tweezers or maybe an eyebrow brush. Lee rolled his eyes while everyone else laughed.

Lee didn't see, but Gaara mouthed the words _Neji, you bastard _to himself.

What did Gaara want? Sakura almost didn't ask since he never wanted anything. Lee had tamed him and brought him from Tamari and Kankuro to their group, but he was still quiet and distant. Surprisingly, he had something more tom say than just "nothing."

"I want… I want something I technically already have, but I want it more. None of you can buy it for me. It has no price, only effort."

With a frightening realization, everyone thought it was power and strength that he wanted. They weren't sure if he'd given up being blood-thirsty yet.

Lee didn't know this, but it was him that he wanted. Or, maybe his love would be a better way to say it?

Everyone made note of what the other wanted and said their farewells. It wasn't that late, but nights came sooner and darker in the winter and no one wanted to walk home in the dark. Gai told Lee to be very careful and gave him a fatherly hug before going home himself. I'll avoid murderers and rapists, he joked. Gaara's eyes grew wide when he said that.

Lee wanted to walk Sakura home, but she was already clinging to Sasuke's arm while Naruto walked indifferently on the other side of him. Sakura still lived with her parents, but Naruto and Sasuke had become roommates so that they would have the nights to themselves.

Too bad for Lee.

"Hey, bushy brow."

God, he hated that nickname! Along with Eyebrow Boy. He had a real name. Rock Lee. Why couldn't everyone call him that and just leave his eyebrows alone?

"Yeah, Gaara?"

"We live in the same direction. I'll walk with you so that you don't slip like an idiot again."

Jerk. It was interesting to know that Gaara lived near him though. No one knew where Gaara lived.

Lee didn't know this, but Gaara didn't live anywhere near his house.

They walked silently, not knowing what to say in such strange circumstances. Lee struck up small talk.

"So, do you feel Christmas-ish?"

"Pardon?"

"You know, do you feel the Christmas spirit? Christmas is not for a couple days, but it is snowing and everything. Lights are up and you can hear carolers. Do you not feel any Christmas spirit?"

"Why would I feel any of that? It's pathetic."

Rock Lee hung his head. "Oh."

"This is your house right? I'm leaving now so I don't have to hear about anymore of your Christmas crap. It's just some commercial excuse to spend money like an idiot."

"No it is not! There is more to it than that! And how did you know where I live…?"

Gaara turned red. "Because, it says Lee on your mailbox! Do you think that I'm that stupid? No one else has that stupid last name but you, bushy brow! Go inside and let friggin' sugarplums dance in your head or however that crappy poem goes." He stormed off, feeling his chest tighten. He hadn't meant to be that mean.

Lee didn't know this, but Gaara knew where he lived because he'd followed him home before.

Lee watched him stomp off. That's the second person he'd made angry today. He held his head high. He was Rock Lee, dammit! He didn't let anything get him down. He looked up at the creaky old house he lived in. He was sure he was the only person alive who would want such a drafty old thing to live in. It had a warm welcoming feeling. It was his home. He would cheer up. Tomorrow would be better.

Or, it would be worse.

Which it was, by the way.

On the surface of the morning, it looked okay. But the only thing was that it was afternoon and not morning.

He was supposed to have woken at 7:00. It was now 12:33.

Crap!

He was supposed to have sponsored everyone at a giant tournament that was happening today. It was held every Christmas Eve and was what many young ninjas looked forward to every year. Lee hadn't felt much like competing this year, so he'd agreed to be the sponsor. You couldn't fight without a sponsor.

He dressed hurriedly, ignoring his leg splint and praying that it wasn't his team's turn yet. Why hadn't his alarm woken him up? He realized with despair that he'd been so tired last night that he'd forgotten to set it.

He didn't spend anymore time pondering it and shot out the door. He ignored the splint and leaped from tree to tree with the speed that only he possessed; that was faster than anyone else he knew. Almost there. God, please say they haven't gone yet.

But, where would our story be if they hadn't gone yet?

There his friends sat, grumbling and swearing as they saw him leaping towards them. He stopped in front of them with his breath short and ragged.

"Have you guys gone yet?" He managed to ask.

The glares that he received answered his question.

"Look guys, I am really sorry. My alarm did not go off and…"

"Yeah, we've heard it all before. Don't blame your alarm," Shikamaru interrupted.

"We've been looking forward to this all year!" Naruto shouted.

"Now we're a laughing stock." Sasuke added.

"I thought you were trustworthy, bushy brow." Neji said softly.

"I am! I just…"

Neji shook his head and motioned for the others to follow him out. "Go jump off a bridge, you shit head!" He yelled over his shoulder.

"I…" Lee whispered. He looked up to see Sakura standing there.

"Sakura! You believe me, right?"

Her green eyes reflected sadness. He felt his heart fall into his stomach. She pushed up the sleeves of her jacket and showed him a series of bruises and cuts.

"See these? These are from training for this. Guess I'll have to wait until next year, jerk."

She stomped off angrily with the others. Rock Lee could have stopped breathing. No. Not Sakura. Anyone but Sakura. He saw Hinata look shyly back at him, but she was too afraid to go against Neji.

He was left with a group of angry friends and the cold and snow blowing on him. He'd forgotten to grab a jacket.

Happy Christmas Eve indeed.

Lee didn't see this, but Gaara had been watching the whole time.

He stalked off into the park and wove around the trees. His green outfit usually let him camouflage into everything, but since it was winter, everything was covered in white and the trees were dead. Their long gnarling branches reached out threateningly towards him.

Yes, kill me. My first time with real friends and I screwed it up. He shouldn't be this upset about such a small thing, but he'd never had real friends before Naruto and the others. Maybe he'd never had real friends at all. Maybe he would just screw up everything for any friend he made. Maybe he just wasn't deserving.

They'd forgive him. Right?

He dragged his feet in the snow, leaving long lines that marked his passing.

He could feel his feet begin to numb, but they might as well have. Maybe then he would fall over and freeze to death here. No, there were too many people around. They would help him because they didn't know what an idiot he was.

He found a bench and sat there. He didn't know for how long, but it had begun to grow dark by the time he looked up again. In the wallowing of his sorrow, he heard a familiar voice. He looked up to see the back of Gai's head. He could spot that round shiny black orb anywhere. Gai was still on his side. Gai still cared about him.

"Gai!" He called out. "Gai!"

He watched him turn towards him and reveal a woman standing next to him. Another woman? He'd been trying for years to score a serious girlfriend and hadn't been successful. He could see from the look on Gai's face that he wanted Lee to back off for now.

Unfortunately, Lee always forgot just how fast he was and couldn't turn himself around with his splint. He slipped on the snow and began sliding at top speed towards Gai and the woman.

He planted his fists into the ground to slow himself down, but only ended up with sore red knuckles. His squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for impact.

He managed to avoid Gai, but instead went crashing into the woman. She flipped and flew over him; head over heels. Rock Lee tucked his head in and rolled slowly until he stopped. When he stood up and brushed himself up, he saw the woman in a snowy heap a few feet away from him.

Dammit.

She stood up angrily before turning and yelling at him. She was calling him an insolent little brat when her eyes grew wide.

"You. You look just like Gai! You're his son, aren't you?!"

Lee tried to say no, but she wouldn't listen.

She turned angrily towards Gai and jabbed a long painted nail into his chest.

"Just who do you think you are?! You think that I'd date someone with such a brat? Don't try to tell me you've never seen him before, because he looks just like you! You can take your son and your flirty little remarks and shove them up your ass!"

Her high heels jabbed angrily at the snow as she stormed off.

Lee looked pleadingly at Gai. God, not you too.

Lee sighed with relief as Gai smiled at him.

His relief turned to despair when Gai spoke to him.

"Lee, don't you know how to stay out of the way? I thought you were a big boy. Can't you just leave me alone for one day? Leave. I don't want to see you right now."

No. Not his last hope. Why on Christmas Eve? What the hell?

Tears sprung to his eyes. He was such a fool! Such a weak fool! Who did he think he was, trying to make friends and bugging Gai all the time? He only made everyone miserable, including himself.

"Fine! This world would better off without me anyway! You will never have to see me again!"

Lee turned and ran before he could see Gai's reaction. It didn't matter if Gai came after him. He was faster then anyone in this village would ever be. Why would Gai come after him anyway? He'd be happier if he didn't have such a burden bothering him everyday.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he'd already thought of jumping off the hundred-foot high bridge into the icy cold water. He knew the fall wasn't enough to kill him, but if he let the freezing water carry him long enough, it would freeze his veins, then his arteries and eventually his heart and brain.

Halfway there, he was intercepted by Gaara.

"What are you doing? You think that running away will save your problems?!" He yelled as he jumped in front of Lee.

Gaara. He hadn't been at the tournament. Was he still happy with him?

"I, I do not-"

"You're such a coward! You're going to run away after what happened to Hinata and Sakura?"

Rock Lee froze. "What happened?"

Gaara sighed. "After you left, these big punks were disappointed that they didn't get to fight the toughest ninjas in the village and started picking fights. Hinata stepped in and told them to stop. Hinata and Sakura were walking by themselves and were cornered by a group of other ninja. They fought hard, but they're being patched up right now. Now be a man and go apologize."

Lee breathed in sharply. "Oh God." He whispered.

"What?"

"Oh God! I really am useless!"

"What are you-?"

"I know a different way of apologizing. A better way. Tell them that I am so sorry."

"Wait. What are you planning on doing?"

Rock Lee looked him sadly in the eye.

"I am going to end it all. I have caused nothing but trouble for all of you." The words caught in his throat as tears occupied his large eyes again. "Ever since I met all of you, I have done nothing but destroy. I have broken at least one of everyone's things. I am a klutz and I cannot do anything right. Even Gai is mad at me. And now… now Hinata and Sakura were hurt because of me. They are just girls and they got hurt because I am such an idiot. Tell everyone that I am sorry. This is the last time I will see you, so goodbye."

"What? You can't!" Fear twinkled in Gaara's usually monotonous eyes and his heart began to race.

Rock Lee zipped out of his sight before he could stop him.

"Shit!"

His tears disappeared due to all the wind that was zipping by so fast. Braches scratched at his cheeks and face and he could feel the blood running down; warm and sticky. A big branch sliced at his eye part way through, but it wasn't like he would need it anymore.

Ever since he was little- no, ever since he was born he'd been an outcast. He never knew what happened to his parents. Maybe they didn't want him. Who would? School began and he found out he only had any real talent when it came to taijustu. Kids teased him relentlessly, calling him useless and weak and poking fun at his eyebrows. Gai had told him his eyebrows and taijustu were nothing to be ashamed of. But Gai's eyebrows didn't matter. Every kid had respected him. And he could do more than just taijustu. Useless. Worthless. No point. So many words to describe his birth.

He reached the bridge quick and stared desperately into its waters. It was part frozen when sludgy bits of ice floating randomly down the current. _This is it. No hesitation._

He would have jumped right away if his eye hadn't caught the shape of someone standing on the bridge with him. He looked like he was reaching for something that had caught in the bars of the bridge. He looked dangerously close to the edge.

"Hey! Be careful!" He shouted instinctively.

The person took a moment to look up at him. When he did, he lost his grip and fell in.

Idiot! If you hadn't said anything he wouldn't have fallen in!

"Help! Help!" He called repeatedly from the icy waters.

Lee didn't hesitate kicking off his shoes and diving in after the boy. He swam with his ninja speed, but it was dulled by the push of the current.

The boy was just sinking into the freezing water when Lee wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him up. The boy took a large breath and wrapped his arms around Lee's neck. He hauled the boy to shore and threw him onto land. It was dark, but he could see the boy's piercing eyes. They were bluer than Naruto's.

"Thank you so much, Rock Lee."

Lee stared at him. He was positive that he'd never seen this boy in his life. Of course, it was dark…

"Who are you?" He asked slowly, hesitating.

The boy's teeth gleamed in the dark as he smiled. Lee could see a fang glinting in his mouth.

"Who am I?" The boy laughed hysterically.

"I'm your guardian angel."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chappie two, y'all**

**Poison- **As I was writing, I'd noticed that I'd put my first y'all as ya'll. (I changed it.) It is a contraction of 'you all', so I noticed it right away. (I have an A in my gifted Lang/Lit class!) I'm sorry if my OCD may seem strange to you. It's what inspires me to write. I've decided to write the whole story before posting it. (It's only three chapters.) I may start Gaara, you pervert again if I have the time… I have to write out a story that my friend made the storyline for. It's her idea for a manga that she's going to draw one day (after I've written it out.) It's called Fallen and it's a shonen-ai that follows the adventures of Takashii Niko as he struggled at his new school and eventually wins the heart of the cold and indifferent Satsu Koyama… But that's beside the point. I have another story that's over 230 pages, but I don't know if I can finish it… My friends want me to, though. I finally got the Fray CD! No more having to listen to the radio day and night hoping that they come on! Wahahaha! By the way, Rock Lee's supposed 'guardian angel' is a borrowed character. I borrowed him from Fallen (from my good friend Shannon.) He's a side character in Fallen, but he will have a huge part here. Why borrow him? His name is Tenshi, which is the Japanese word for angel, so I thought he'd be perfect for this story. And he's my favorite character in Fallen. (He's a seme, just like me!) And here is chapter two. (If anyone's reading this… maybe no one is and they don't care? cries) Oh, and everyone shall be sixteen except Kakashi and all them older people.

**Foxglove-** Flame her!!! Flame her!!!!

"I'm your guardian angel."

Rock Lee blinked. Come again?

"You are my what?"

"Guardian angel. You know, the angel that watches over you during your time on earth? Everyone has one." (AN: And I'm atheist! It's cute anyways…)

Rock Lee stood up slowly and looked down at the boy. He could see him now that his eyes had adjusted to the dark. He had jet black hair that looked as if it had been spiked in the back, but the water had washed the gel away. His thick hair reached his shoulders when it was wet and covered one of his blue eyes. He was in a Japanese boy's school uniform and looked about 17. His fang grinned up at him.

Rock Lee scoffed. "What kind of angel has a fang? And black hair?"

The angel poked at his sharp tooth. "Sorry. I'm half demon. But I'm still a dedicated angel. I detest my demon blood. It makes it harder for me to get my wings. Not even a bell works on me. That's why I came for you, Lee."

"Who are you really? Why do you know me?"

The angel rolled his eyes. "I already told you; I'm your-"

"I would rather you give me your name."

"Tenshi Amui."

Of course. Tenshi: the Japanese word for angel. Who was this nutcase?

"You're crazy. Go dry off before you catch a cold. I have got something to do."

"Angels don't catch colds. And do what? Kill yourself?"

Lee froze. How did he know?

"Look, I do not know who you think you are, but I would appreciate it if you stopped stalking me."

"Not stalking. Just watching from heaven. But, I can't stalk you if you're going to die."

Rock Lee turned red with anger. He clenched his fists tightly and breathed heavily through his nostrils.

"What do you want?! Why are you here?"

Tenshi smiled slyly at him. "Guardian angels always come down to earth when their human is close to death. We either try to prevent it or take their soul up to heaven with us. Would you like to change your mind, or go to heaven with me?"

Rock Lee let go of his anger and converted it to sadness. "Look, no offense to you, really. I just… I cannot keep living here. I am getting everyone I care about into trouble and I am not really needed… I wish…." Rock Lee trailed off, unable to finish his sentence due to the fresh tears running down his cheeks.

"What do you wish? That you were dead?"

Rock Lee shook his head. "No, that is not good enough. They still would have been hurt. I wish I had never been _born._"

Tenshi stood up and shook the water from his thick black mane of hair. His skin shone like porcelain in the moonlight and his blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "Never been born, huh? Is that what you wish?"

"Yes."

"Truly? Honestly? Down into the deepest core of your heart and soul?"

Rock Lee looked over the expanse of the river and closed his eyes on his tears. "Yes. That is what I truly wish. I wish it more than anything in the world."

Tenshi gave him a disapproving look. "Alright, if that's what you _really _want. I can't deny the wish of the one I guard when he's this close to death."

"What?"

Tenshi snapped his fingers and released a bright expanse of light. Rock Lee threw his arms protectively in front of his face as the orb of light absorbed him and lifted him from the ground. He could feel himself changing; almost as if he was becoming hollow inside and out. The light infiltrated his head and made him light-headed. It burned his temples and gave him a headache. He breathed in heated air and tasted heat. His clothes itched and burned on his skin and his ears could hear a dull ringing sound as the overheated.

And just as suddenly, he felt the cold air back on his skin as he fell about ten feet and hit the ground hard. The headache still throbbed in his temples and caused him to lay there for a moment. His back and hips ached from the fall. His chest and heart burned from the light and tightened up his movement.

_Maybe that Tenshi kid really was an angel and he killed me. Thanks…_

After lying there for a while, he realized he could still fell the cold breeze and hear the rush of the partially frozen river. He could feel his bare feet shivering in the cold. His opened his eyes a bit to see the stars staring back down at him.

_I am not in heaven. If I was, the earth would be staring down at me…_

He sat up slowly and grumbled as his back's muscles twisted and knotted. No, he was still alive. He could fell the pain fresh in his body and the hatred for himself fresh in his heart. He rubbed at his eyes irritably. He hated this world almost as much s he hated himself. But, he loved the people who lived here…

He looked around for Tenshi. Where'd he go? Before he died, he wanted to give that punk a good punch. No one should go around knocking people around like that! He wondered what kind of jutsu that was. He'd never seen it before.

He could see fresh footprints leading from where Tenshi had been standing. He'd find that bastard and give him a piece of his mind. It was an excuse to stay on this world a little longer. But first, he needed his shoes.

He rose to his feet and approached the bridge. It was dark, but Lee could see something different about the bridge. It looked smaller, almost like it was leaning. When he stepped onto the bridge, he was confirmed of his suspicions. The wood snapped underneath him and sent him hurling into the icy waters of the river.

He rose to the surface and gasped for air. What the hell?

He crawled back onto land and looked at the bridge. Or, what was left of it anyway.

It was splintered all over, some splinters half of his height, and holes were dotted all across the walkway. The handhold that he'd always loved to hang onto and look across the land from was dismantled and hanging by a small rusty hinge. What in God's name…

Did Tenshi do this too? He'd kill that bastard. His friends loved this bridge.

Or, ex-friends anyway.

He used his taijustu to leap onto the bridge without actually touching it. Shoes, shoes, shoes….

His shoes weren't there. He leaped off the bridge and used the water-walking jutsu to see if they'd fallen in. The river was moving sluggishly and Lee saw that it was because it was highly polluted. He didn't see his shoes anywhere.

He plugged his nose at the smell of pollution and reached land again. Great. No shoes. He furrowed his large eyebrows at the sight of the river. (**Foxglove**- aren't they always furrowed?) Surely Tenshi couldn't have done all of this so quickly? The pollution reached on for as far as his ninja vision could see. What was going on here? Was he dreaming?

If it was just a dream, why not explore?

He took a few steps and felt a sharp rock dig into his foot. He breathed in sharply in between his teeth as he felt warm blood gush from his wound. This couldn't be a dream. He felt pain. He was bleeding.

He yanked the rock out of his foot and threw it back onto the dirt with distaste. Maybe he was knocked out longer than he'd thought and was only tricked into thinking it was a couple of minutes. Maybe it was all part of Tenshi's plan. He began running, leaving little trickles of blood behind him. He summoned his taijustu and whizzed back into the village.

He couldn't believe what he saw.

Everything was gray, everything. Well, except for the sand that covered every inch of available land. Little grains whirred around in little spirals and took the place where noise should've been. He continued to venture farther into the village and saw actual human beings sitting at the old ramen stand. Among them, he saw Tenshi's strange clothes and heard his voice speaking loudly with the storekeeper. He ran to the stand to listen.

"Make up your mind! We've got other customers waiting on you!"

"Fine. I'll have the pork. Oh, but the beef has less fat…"

"Look, decide or I'll throw you out."

Lee furrowed his eyebrows. The ramen store keeper had dealt with more annoying cases (Naruto) than this and had kept a smile all the way through. What was wrong with him now? (AN: Since we don't know the ramen storekeeper's actual name in the show, I'll call him Takeshi. (Random name from the top of my head.))

"Hey, I'm willing to pay twice as much as any of these people. Have patience."

Takeshi looked ready to kill when Lee ran up.

"Takeshi! Is something wrong? You never act like this!"

Takeshi's anger turned into confusion as he spotted Lee standing there. "Takeshi? Did you call me Takeshi?" He asked blankly.

"Yes. That is your name after all."

"I know that, idiot. How do you know my name?"

Rock Lee was silent for a moment. "Duh, because I eat here all the time, Takeshi."

"Don't be so familiar with me. I've never seen you in my life."

Huh? "What are you talking about? It is me, Lee."

"Lee?"

"As in Rock Lee."

"What a strange name. Never heard it."

"What are you talking about?! It is me! Lee!"

Tenshi interrupted "Lee! Please be quiet so that I can order."

Lee was frustrated. Was Takeshi high or something?

"You know this brat?" Takeshi asked Lee, pointing accusingly at Tenshi.

"No! I just met him. He's crazy"

"Of course you know me. And I know you better than anyone."

Takeshi looked at him suspiciously and Lee gave him a look that said, "I don't know him."

"What the hell?! I'll kick the ass of the bastard that's keeping me waiting!" A familiar angry voice growled from the back of the line. Rock Lee looked in horror to see that it was Naruto.

Only, it wasn't the Naruto he knew.

This Naruto was wearing shabby torn clothes and the orange had faded to a grayish-pink. His hair was dotted with bits of dirt and leaves and tangled beyond the ability of any brush. His headband was dirty and tarnished; the leaf symbol barely visible beneath the muck. His voice was raspy and had a hatred to it. He gritted rotten teeth at them. He didn't have any shoes either.

Despite his horror, he was glad to see Naruto. Naruto knew who he was. He would tell Takeshi that he'd never met Tenshi. He ran to his fox friend.

"Naruto! You do not know how happy I am to see you! What has happened to everything?"

The fox boy narrowed his eyes at him. "Do I know you?"

Rock Lee's jaw dropped. Another one?

Naruto grunted. "I'm sorry if I don't remember you. I don't remember much of anything anymore. But I will tell you what has happened. That much I can remember."

He cleared his throat that was probably full of gunk and sand. "It happened when I was still twelve. It was during the final battle of the Chunin exam. I don't remember the names of the two boys… I remember black and love… Well anyway, one of them went crazy and went on a rampage. There was only one casualty, but we were all forced to go into hiding. There were tons more casualties after that, so some really powerful ninjas had to restrain him with a jutsu.

"Even so, his hatred and need to kill has leaked through in form of a jutsu and has turned our village into this." He gestured to the bleak remains of the hidden leaf village. "And we've just received word that he's almost broken through the defenses."

"Why do they not rebind him?"

"The two ninja that originally bound him were the only ones that knew the jutsu. They were killed in the process. I think it was the Hokage and my old crazy-haired sensei."

_Hokage and Kakashi dead? No way!_

"You are lying."

"I might be. My brain cells are going as fast as my teeth." He poked his tongue through a few open spaces where rotten teeth had fallen out.

Rock Lee stared at him, horrified. He couldn't believe any of this. Had he gone to Hell instead of Heaven?

Naruto stood on his tip-toes to look to the front of the line. "For crying out loud! I'll kill that idiot!" Naruto rushed to the front of the line with his hands in fists.

Rock Lee intercepted just in time to receive the punch that was meant for Tenshi.

"Do not hurt him!" Lee shouted, wiping blood from his mouth.

"I knew it! You do know him!" Takeshi shouted.

"No, I-"

Lee didn't get a chance to finish as large men grabbed both him and Tenshi and hurled their rear ends away from the ramen stand.

"And don't call me Takeshi ever again, punk!" He yelled from the stand.

"Who needs your crappy ramen anyway?!" Tenshi shouted back. Lee seized him and pulled him away before he could start a fight.

When they were far enough, Lee grabbed Tenshi's shoulders and held him barely an inch from his face.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Why do you think?! What happened? How did this happen so fast?"

"Lee, it's always been like this."

"You are nuts! You were there less than ten minutes ago when everything was just fine!"

Tenshi shook his head. "No Lee. It's always been like this. It's like this because you were never born."

Lee's eyes froze on Tenshi.

"What are you talking about?"

Tenshi placed his hand on Rock Lee's chest. "Feel," he commanded.

Rock Lee did so and was shocked to feel no heartbeat. "But that is impossible! I was bleeding! I still am-"

He lifted his foot to see that the mark from the rock was no longer there.

"But, but…"

"It's what you wished for. You were never born, Lee."

Lee turned angrily to the angel. "Why would it be like this just because I was never born?"

"Lots of reasons."

"I will find someone I know. They will tell me this is just all a prank! I will show you!"

He ran off, leaving Tenshi there. Someone he knew, someone he knew! Where was everybody? Left and right, all he could see was sand and various shades of gray. It was like a plague.

Unfortunately, there was a plague. He finally spotted his friends all huddled in a group in a dark alleyway. He spotted Shikamaru's unmistakable hairstyle sticking from off of his head. Only now, it was shabby and drooping with strands sloppily falling from his ponytail.

"Shikamaru!" He called. He watched his friends turn around along with Ino, Choji, Neji, TenTen, Kiba, and Shino. He smiled joyfully as he ran towards them. They'll explain everything. They'll tell me what's going on.

His smile quickly faded when he reached them. He was taken aback, literally. He stepped back when he saw their faces.

They were a sickly gray with blotches of light gray and dots of black all over. Their arms were half as thin as his own and their bones poked out through their skin. Even Choji looked as if he only weighed 20 pounds. The area around their eyes was black and their eyes were dull and sunken in.

"Get away! You'll catch it too!" Shikamaru whispered in a raspy voice.

"Only people with the disease should come to this part of the village!" Ino whispered after him.

"Very funny you guys. Take off the make-up." His voice shook as he said it. He knew that they couldn't fake how thin they were.

"It's not make-up. Get away! It's contagious." Neji grumbled softly.

"Food. Do you have food?" Choji whined.

"Of course not. All the food and water is poisoned. There is no food." TenTen whispered harshly to him. "There's no hope," she added, almost as an afterthought.

Rock Lee choked on nothing as he looked at them. They were like wraiths. No, like zombies. He felt fear wrenching in his stomach as he looked upon his friends so close to death. He swallowed down the lump in his throat.

"Guys," he said softly, "it is me, Rock Lee."

"We don't know a Rock Lee." Neji grunted before going into a coughing fit. Lee backed away quickly.

"He looks a lot like Gai-sensei, doesn't he? Or, what Gai-sensei used to look like." TenTen said with her head cocked.

"Who's Gai-sensei?" Ino asked.

"He was my old sensei. Me and Neji had him. We were the only two person team. Neji never did that well since he only had me to practice with, though."

Neji regained his composure and stood back up. "You're right. He does look like what Gai used to look like."

"Used to? He did not die, did he?" Lee asked, horrified.

"No. He's alive. He just looks… different."

Lee sighed with relief. At least Gai was alive.

In his relief, Shino collapsed. He almost reached for him, but then remembered the disease and kept his hands to himself. Kiba fell immediately to his side.

"No! Come on Shino. You can make it. I can't lose the last person on my old team!"

Shino's chest rose and fell rapidly for a minute or so before it stopped all together. Kiba leaned his head onto Shino's chest and heard no heartbeat.

"No! First Hinata and now Shino! Dammit; who's going to die next?!"

Neji raised his hand. "Probably me."

Lee's eyes grew as big as dinner plates. "Hinata? Hinata is dead?" He whispered so that he could barely be heard.

Everyone split to either side of the alley to reveal a small body lying in the distance. Lee ignored the fact the disease was lingering in the air and ran to her. He almost screamed when he saw her.

She was…

Pieces of skin had rotted off of her face and exposed her skull. Any part of skin that still clung to her body was either rotting or maybe munched at by parasites. It was disgusting. It wasn't her. It wasn't the same girl that smiled at him everyday and spoke to him in that sweet soft-spoken voice. It wasn't.

"That… That is not Hinata! That is not her!"

Neji looked grimly at his dead cousin. "You're right; it isn't." He paused. "It was."

Lee ran from the body and blinked angrily at the tears that had sprung to his eyes. No, no, no! What kind of world was this?

"Akamaru died too. We had to kill him because he was carrying the disease." Kiba said in between tears.

"Neji looked suspiciously at him. "You look pretty healthy and well-fed. Come to think of it, we've never seen you before. Maybe you work for the one that gave us this plague."

"Neji, it is me! It is Rock Lee! Your old teammate! Why do you not remember me?"

"Because I never knew you to begin with. Now fess up. Do you work for him? The one that did this to us?"

"I do not know who you are talking about!"

"I know you damn well do! Everyone does!"

"Well, tell me so I can kill him!"

Neji's eyes grew wide. "Idiot. Going after him is suicide. Only someone working for him would say such a reckless thing. Why don't we kill you right here?"

Everyone still alive agreed with a nod and lunged for him. He gasped loudly and moved out of the way quickly. Thankfully, their sickness had dulled their ninja abilities and Lee was able to get away quickly. When he had run far enough, he sunk to his knees and caught his breath. Tears ran down his face that he wasn't even aware of. He wasn't sure if he was more overly depressed or scared. Probably both.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he turned and saw Tenshi standing there.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." The angel said casually.

Lee's eyes were wide and staring at the ground while an endless flow of tears flooded down his face and dripped onto the ground. He had the look of a crazed man. He held his side and hyperventilated. This wasn't real! None of this could possibly be happening! He seized the collar of Tenshi's shirt and held him a centimeter away from his face.

"You! You made this happen, right? Fix it! Fix it now!"

Tenshi pushed Lee away from him. "Whoa, you're scaring me! Just calm down."

"Don not tell me to calm down, you demon!"

"Only half."

"I do not care! I do not care that you're crazy and think you are a guardian angel! Just fix everything!"

Tenshi's eyes narrowed. "Ah, but aren't you the crazy one? Seeing this hellish world before you?"

Lee fell to his knees again, sobbing. "I do not care. Just fix it."

"I can't. You were never born."

"I am right here! You can see me and hear me and touch me! I am right here!"

"Can you prove that? Look down at your waist."

He looked down to see that his red headband wasn't tied tightly around his waist like it usually was.

"What the-"

"That headband was your ID card. You don't have it anymore, do you? You don't have an identity."

"I am Rock Lee!"

"There never was a Rock Lee."

Le punched the wall until it crumbled underneath his fist. He then proceeded to kicking it. Tenshi grabbed him and pulled him away.

"Cool down. You wished for this, remember?"

Lee froze in mid-kick. _I wish I had never been born._

"But, all this just because I was never born?" Lee said, going limp in Tenshi's arms. Tenshi turned him around and looked him in the eyes with his only visible blue one. "You haven't seen everything yet. What about Gai? Sakura? And Sasuke?"

Lee hung his head. "I do not want to see them. I just want to go home."

"You don't have a home. You don't exist."

"That does not mean the house I lived in is not still here."

"Really?" Tenshi snapped his fingers and there was another flash of light. When it faded, Lee found himself standing on the road that lied in front of his house. Tenshi was standing next to him.

"How did you-"

"Look Lee. That's what's left of your house."

Rubble. That's all Lee could see. His house had been shredded down for all it was worth. He could see the glint of glass from one of the windows that had been shattered in the fall. He an over to the rubble and dug his hands through it. He cut his hands on the broken glass, but his hands did not bleed. He found nothing that had ever been his in the house. He gave up looking and stared blankly at what had been his house. He walked back to Tenshi but did not look at him.

"It was knocked down because no one wanted such an old house. You were the only one that ever did."

Lee nodded.

"Why don't you go see Sakura? She hasn't caught the disease, but you might not like what you see."

Lee looked up at him. "You granted me this wish. Why do you not grant me another?"

Tenshi grinned. "How can I grant a wish to someone who never existed?"

Lee glared at the ground. "Tell me where Gai and Sakura are."

"They live exactly where they did in the world that you existed in."

Lee nodded and left without another word.

He stood hesitantly in front of Gai's house. By the looks of it, Gai had been one of the fortunate ones in this whole business. Did he really not exist? If anyone knew, it would be Gai. Gai could never forget him, no matter what that screwy angel-demon said. With that thought, he lunged for the door and almost twisted the doorknob off of the door.

"Gai! I am home!" It hadn't been his home when he existed, but he'd always said that when he walked in.

A family eating dinner stared at him. He saw a beautiful young woman with long brown hair sitting on one side of a boy about his own age that looked just like her. On the other side sat a man. That man was Gai.

He'd trimmed his eyebrows so that they were ultra-thin and he'd grown his hair past his ears. It looked messy, like most of the kids at Lee's old school. Lee couldn't believe. Gai was like a totally different person.

"Honey, who's this?" The woman asked. Obviously his wife.

Gai looked shocked as he stared at Lee. It was like he was seeing a ghost. Lee felt like running out of the house. If no one else remembered me why would Gai? But it _was _Gai…

"Hun, I'm going to have to excuse myself. I need to talk privately with this boy."

She looked suspicious. "Alright. With all that's going on these days, we should be generous enough to take in anyone without a home. Especially old friends of yours."

"Can I have the rest of your dinner, dad?" The boy asked.

"Go ahead, Junta."

The boys grabbed his plate and stuffed what was left down his mouth.

Gai rushed at him and grabbed his wrist. He dragged him out the door and deep into the only surviving forest in the village. He waited until they were deep into the forest and surrounded by trees. He grabbed Lee by the shoulders and pinned him against a tree.

"Lee?" He whispered.

"Lee?" Rock Lee asked back. His heart leaped. Gai knew him!

"Yes; that was what I was going to name my son if he looked like me. Rock Lee."

Rock Lee felt his heart drop into his stomach. He didn't know him?

"You look just like what a son of mine would look like. That woman had a previous husband and had Junta with him. I begged her to have a son with me, but she'd heard how funny looking I used to be and refused. She didn't want a baby that looked like that."

Lee hardly listened to him. He could only think about how even Gai had forgotten him. He looked up into Gai's handsome face. He was very good-looking, but he wasn't Gai…

"Are you a son of one of my old girlfriends? Please tell me you are."

As much as Lee wanted to lie, he couldn't. "I am… not."

Gai looked struck. Lee thought he would just let him go and tell him to leave, the way he had earlier in his own world. Instead, he tightened his grip on Lee's shoulders and forced him to the ground.

"Why aren't you my son? Be my son! You look just like me and you're so cute!" He shouted in Lee's face.

"I am sorry, but I am not!"

Lee could already tell he was going mad because he was beginning to catch the plague. He was suffering brain damage from the poisoned food and water supply. He was a mad man now.

He pinned down Lee's legs with his knee and began ripping off Lee's clothes.

"Gai! What are you-?!"

Gai shoved a hand over his mouth and continued sliding off the top part of his green outfit. Gai really had gone crazy! He was being raped!

Gai lifted his hand off of Lee's mouth and planted a kiss on him. He couldn't breathe and felt more than uncomfortable. He tried to scream into the kiss, but failed. He felt Gai's hands snaking down his body and eventually reach his sensitive area. Gai grabbed hold.

Lee broke from the kiss. "Stop Gai! This is rape! I am only sixteen!"

Gai didn't listen and continued having his way with him. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled underneath the older man's grip. No! Why was everything so wrong!?!

If Rock Lee could still bleed, he would be doing so on several parts of his body. It hurt! Stop! Someone help!

"Gai! You are hurting me!"

Gai squeezed harder and caused the tears to fall faster. He didn't want this!

He gathered up all his strength and chakra into his fist and shoved his hand into Gai's chest. The super-heated blow sent him flying into a tree. Blood leaked from his head as he hit the ground and became unconscious. Lee quickly checked to see that he still had a pulse. When he was sure Gai was still alive, he pulled on his clothes and ran at top taijustu speed away from him.

That had been Gai. The Gai that existed because Lee didn't.

He ran and ran until he had run out of breath. He curled up on the ground he had landed on and sobbed. He wanted out of this hell. He wanted to die. He wanted to kill himself…

But that's exactly what had gotten him into this mess.

After he'd caught his breath, he looked up to see that he was right in front of Sakura's house.

No, he didn't want to see anymore.

But, inevitably, he found himself walking to her front door. She had been the one he loved. The one he'd longed for the most. She'd been the one with the heart he had wanted to capture but never quite could. She'd been the one he wanted to see most. (Except maybe Gai, but not anymore.)

He knocked on the door softly. There was no answer so he knocked louder. He could hear Sakura's voice coming from inside.

"Go away! You'll never take me! I'll wait here forever for Sasuke!"

Rock Lee opened the door and stumbled when he walked in. It was pitch black and there was junk everywhere. Was Sakura really living in this?

"Sakura?" He called softly.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, is that you?"

Lee saw a match being struck and being fed to a candle. The candle flared to life and lit the room. On the other side, he could see Sakura sitting in the corner. Even with her tired face and her ragged face, she was beautiful.

She crawled slowly over to him. "Sasuke, is that you? Did you cut your hair? Your eyebrows have grown quite bushy…" She crawled on top of him and looked into his eyes. "Your eyes have grown quite large as well."

Lee turned beet red. He could feel her so close. She laid her face right on his neck and breathed in.

"You're not Sasuke. I know his chakra scent. You're not Sasuke." She crawled off of him and set the candle on the ground. She sobbed into her hands. "Why won't he come back? Why won't he come back to me? I thought he loved me!"

Lee grabbed her arm and looked into her face. "Sakura, it is me. It is Rock Lee."

Please remember me.

"Rock Lee? I've never known anyone with that name! You're not Sasuke! Why aren't you Sasuke?!" She yanked her arm away and continued sobbing. It was then that Rock Lee caught sight of her left hand.

"Sakura! Your fingers!" Four fingers on her left had been severed and only stumps remained.

Her tears faded as she looked down at her hand. "Oh yes. I cut a finger off for every year that Sasuke doesn't come home to me. Once I run out of fingers, I'll have to use toes. After I use up my toes, I'll kill myself." There was a wicked grin on her face. "But he'll come home before then. He loves me. I caught him with Naruto, but I forgave him and erased Naruto's memory of ever loving him. Then Sasuke was loyal to me and told me he loved me every day. Then on the day that monster was unleashed-he was a normal boy before- Sasuke disappeared. But I know he'll come back."

There was no sense in talking to her. She'd gone mad beyond any help. She was unreachable. Rock Lee grabbed her and took her into a tight embrace.

"You can love me, Sakura."

"No. You're not Sasuke. I'll never love you or anyone else. Not even myself."

Rock Lee let go of her and looked into her eyes. She was soulless. He didn't want to love her without her soul. He shook his head sadly as he began to cry again. She was gone. Just like him.

"You're crying for me? You feel my pain?" Sakura asked monotonously.

"Yes. I know exactly how you feel."

"Thank you, sir," she whispered as she walked out the door.

When he'd gone outside, he saw Tenshi waiting for him.

"I saw Gai and Sakura. Can I go home yet?"

"I already told you; I can't grant the wish of someone who never existed. Besides, you're not done. Look over there."

Lee did so. He saw a tombstone nearby in what used to be Sakura's flower garden. He ran over to it and gasped at what he read:

Sasuke Uchiha

Loved by many

We will miss you

(AN: I don't know the dates! They don't tell you dates in the show)

I'll be waiting for you.

Love, Sakura.

The last part looked like it was written after the tombstone had been made. That had been when she'd gone mad. He couldn't cry. He'd seen too much death. It all just seemed inevitable now.

Tenshi grabbed his shoulder. "Are you ready to see just why all this has happened because you were never born?"

Lee nodded.

Tenshi snapped again and the light came. Lee ignored the burning feeling that came to his body again.

When the light disappeared again, he found himself underground in a dark cold room. He hugged himself against the chill. Tenshi seemed indifferent to the temperature.

Across the room, he could see a bright red glow. It looked like a giant amoeba, squirming around. It twisted violently and made unidentifiable sounds. Rock Lee was taken aback at the crudeness.

"You see that?" Tenshi asked. "That's Gaara."

Rock Lee's eyes widened. Gaara? The same Gaara that hung out with him and bought ramen with him and even paid for him when he was broke. Then again, no one else had exactly stayed the same. But this was the largest transition he'd seen yet.

He approached it carefully. This was the binding jutsu? Strangest jutsu he'd ever seen.

When he was close enough to touch it, he could see him. He appeared to be sleeping, but Lee could feel his chakra wearing through the jello-like cage and yearning to break free. Why had this happened because he hadn't been born?

He realized right before Tenshi started talking. "On the day that Sasuke and Gaara fought in the final Chunin exams, Sasuke had managed to wound Gaara, but Gaara was too strong and killed Sasuke. You know why? In the earlier Chunin exam, Sasuke had copied your Shishirendan kicking move to fight against his opponent from the sound village. He then decided to copy your speed to fight against Gaara. But, you were never born, so Sasuke couldn't copy your speed, which was faster than anyone else's. Even then, you were the one who tamed Gaara and got rid of his lust to kill. Since you were never born, he went off and killed as many people as he could before the Hokage and Kakashi sealed him up. His hatred and need to kill still leaked through in the form of chakra and poisoned everything and even created a plague. You know why only you could tame him?"

Lee shook his head. That was one thing he didn't know.

"It's because he was in love with you. Still is, actually. Well, in your world. Gaara only loved himself because his mother was killed and his father was a horrible man that he hated with all of his heart. It was because of all this that he wanted to kill. But after he fought you in the Chunin exam, he fell for you. He wasn't sure why, but he hated it. That was why he tried to kill you in the hospital. He was afraid of loving you. Lee, you're needed more than you ever imagined. Everyone is. If God didn't grant even one person's birth, some place would fall apart somewhere."

Gaara loved him? But he was always so cold…

"But, I love Sakura…"

"She'll never love you back. Guardian angels know everything. Besides, do you really love her, or do you just think she's pretty? Think about how worried you were that Gaara didn't have any Christmas spirit?"

Lee's eyes widened. "Yes."

Tenshi looked sadly at him. "Well, I guess this is goodbye. I can't guard someone who threw their life away. I'll have to get my wings some other way."

"Wait!"

It was too late. Tenshi snapped his fingers and the bright light blinded him. When he could see again, he was back at the bridge. The bridge that was broken and existed in this hellish world.

"Tenshi! Tenshi come back! Where are you?! I know you are there! Come out! I want to live! I want my life back!"

There was no answer.

"Tenshi!" He screamed so loud that he had to clutch his throat afterwards. It echoed for what seemed like forever. He could feel something leave him.

_Tenshi. Tenshi's leaving me._

He dropped to his knees and clutched his head.

_Living in a world where you have no identity and everything is wrong is the same as being dead. Was this what you wanted? Death?_

"No! I want life! I want to live out my life! I want to become an adult and get married and carry out my job as a ninja! I want to see all my friends again! I want to see Gai again! I will even love Gaara back if you send me back! I love Gaara more than ever now! I want to live! I WANT TO LIVE!!!"

There was no answer.

Lee collapsed on the dirt by the river sobbing.

**Poison-** All flames were accepted for the previous chapter. I know everything I did was horrible, but I had to show Lee just how horrible the world would be without him. I stole off of the show and added Gaara's love for Lee (though that will never happen in the show.) This is a fan _fiction_ and I'm just twisting around the actual plot to make my own, so don't yell at me that none of that actually happened on the show or in the manga. I know it didn't. I made it up. I'm sorry for everything. I was on the brink of tears at every corner of that chapter. It wasn't until after I finished it that I saw how long it was. It was then that I realized that it had to be split into different sections. (Will I have to do that? I'll have to wait until I post.) The songs that I listened to most for this story and the ones that most suit it were Heaven Forbid and How to save a life by The Fray, Cancer and Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, and Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. Oh, and It Ends Tonight by The All American Rejects. Despite all the gruesome details in the previous chapter, this will have a happy ending. If you've ever seen the actual movie, you'd have known that by now. Watch the movie next Christmas Eve people! It's in black and white, but it's good. I think it comes on TBS. And now, the final chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chappie three y'all**

_Don't cry, Lee._

Lee ignored the voice. He could only hear it in his head after all. Maybe he'd caught the disease finally and was beginning to go crazy just as Gai and Sakura had. Maybe he'd turn white and sprout black spots like Neji and the others did.

"Don't cry, Lee."

This time the voice was real. He looked up to see the familiar boy's school uniform and piercing blue eye looking down on him. He smiled and sported his fang.

"Tenshi! You came back!" Lee jumped up and embraced the angel. "Do not leave me! I do not want to be left alone!"

Tenshi hugged him back quickly before pushing him away and looking him square in the eye. "Lee, do you want to give life another chance? Do you want to live again?"

"Yes! More than anything in the world."

"Truly? Honestly? Down into the deepest core of your heart and soul?"

Lee had heard that line before. "Yes."

Tenshi wiped the tears from Lee's eyes with his finger. "You just have to stop crying first."

Lee nodded and sucked up his tears.

"Alright. Ready to be born?"

Lee nodded again.

Tenshi snapped his fingers once more, but this time the light was different. It consumed Lee just as it had before, but instead of burning him, it warmed him and cleared his head. It felt like a mother's arms embracing him. He felt something being given back to him. Something that had been taken away before. He then realized that it had been his soul. He'd been walking around soulless; never having been born with one. Or having been born at all for that matter. He'd been nothing but a shell with no identity.

_You're worth so much more alive than dead, Lee._

His skin flushed with color and he gasped he felt his heart begin to pound in his chest again. He felt a warmth as blood swam through his veins once more.

He felt complete.

He opened his eyes to the light to see Tenshi.

Only, he'd changed.

His hair was no longer spiked, but long and silky. Not to mention it'd become a golden blonde. His blue eyes sparkled instead of piercing and had grown large and submissive. His hair no longer covered one eye and he smiled with no fang; only rounded pearls. His black school uniform had been exchanged for a long white robe that flowed majestically around his body. A golden halo hung and glowed over his head. His voice was no longer immature sounding and flowed like silk.

"Thank you Lee. You've helped me get rid of my demon half."

"But how-?"

"You've allowed me to help you change your life around. That's enough to change a full-blown demon into an angel."

Lee studied him for a moment. Was this really the Tenshi he knew?

"What are you looking at?"

Yep. That was Tenshi alright. I guess not even rebirth could change an attitude.

"It is just that you don't have wings…"

"Ah, yes. You still need to help me with that."

"How?"

Instead of answering his question, he looked off to the side. He seemed to be concentrating on something. After a moment or so, he smiled at Lee.

"Alright. It's time for you to go now."

"But what about your wings?!"

Tenshi waved before snapping and letting the light overcome him again.

"Tenshi! Wait!"

Black.

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on the railing of the bridge, swaying in the wind that threatened to knock him off into the icy waters. He looked down to see that the water was crystal clear.

_No pollution?_

He looked side to side to see that the bridge was still bright red and standing. No holes or anything. He sniffed the air and smelled nothing but air. No pollution or disease. Everything had color even though it was dark and everything was alive.

He held his hand to his heart and felt the steady thrum on his fingers. Just to make sure, he quickly bit his finger. He smiled at the lush red blood that leaked out. He looked down and saw his blue shoes on his feet and his headband tied tightly around his waist. But was everyone still how he remembered?

His question was immediately answered.

"Lee! Lee, stop!"

He turned his head to see Gaara running towards him. He'd even taken off his gourd. Of course. Lee was still standing on the rail of the bridge. He sent a steady flow of chakra to his feet to keep himself steady on the thin bar.

"Lee! Please don't!"

Gaara ran straight up to him and wrapped his arms around Lee's stiff legs. He squeezed his eyes shut and stiffened his arms so that Lee wouldn't be able to jump or fall. He wouldn't let go until Lee came down. Lee surprised him by turning around and patting him on the head.

"You can let go of me. I am not going to jump."

Gaara was suspicious, but slowly let go anyway.

Lee slipped a little as he climbed down, but made it safely. The blood still running down his finger caught Gaara's eye.

"You're bleeding."

Lee looked indifferently down at his finger. A smile made its way across Lee's face.

"I know. Is it not great? It means that I exist. It means that I am alive."

Since Gaara had no idea what had happened to him, he assumed he was saying it because of his suicidal episode. The red head grabbed Lee and took him into a bone-crushing hug. He could feel Gaara's tears dripping onto his green outfit.

"I cannot breathe. Do not cry…"

"I can't help it! I seriously thought you were going to kill yourself. I thought I was never going to be able to tell you that…"

"That you love me." Lee finished for him.

"How did you-?"

"An angel told me. To tell you the truth, I was going to jump but then I saved an angel's life. It just happened to be my guardian angel. He helped me change my mind about life."

Gaara gave him a puzzled look. "You're a strange guy."

"Would you think I was a strange guy if I told you that I loved you back?"

Gaara flushed red. "Yes," he mumbled, "cause I'm always such a jerk to you."

"That is what made me so concerned about you."

"Then why'd you make me so worried, you bastard?"

"Because it was my angel that made me realize it."

Gaara stopped crying. "I like your angel."

Lee paused. "Yeah, me too."

Gaara released Lee and held him at an arm's length. "You love me, right? Then you'll have to pay for what you've done later tonight." Lee could already see that Gaara was the seme in this relationship.

"Alright. I do not mind."

Gaara held Lee's face in his hand and kissed him. It wasn't forceful, but it wasn't entirely slow either. Lee closed his eyes and let Gaara kiss him. The red head wrapped his arms tightly around Lee's waist and moved his hands all up and down his body. He had started sliding his hand into Lee's shirt (AN: I don't care if Rock Lee's outfit is a one piece, he has a shirt in this story! Also, Gaara is taller that Lee in this story) when Lee pushed him away.

"Not here," he whined. Having just discovered their love for each other, Gaara could barely contain himself. But he would be patient. Anything for Lee. It was enough to have kissed him. It was enough hugging him and having him stand next to him and tell him that he loved him.

Their romantic moment was interrupted by a shout. "Lee!" the voice called. "Lee!" a chorus of voices echoed the first one.

He looked over Gaara's shoulder to see all his friends running towards him with Gai in the lead. He was almost afraid to look at them before he remembered he was back where he belonged. He broke from Gaara's grip and ran to them. Before he could say anything, Gai swept him up into a hug and spun him around in the air.

"Lee, we thought you were dead! Everyone thought you would be too chicken, but I've watched you train your whole life. I knew you weren't afraid to do anything." Gai put him down and Lee spoke.

"I thought you hated me for always ruining your dates. I have been ruining them since I was small and I thought you would have better luck if I was not around. I know how hard it is for you to find a date with your looks…"

Gai ignored that last comment. "Lee, I've been dating women to try to marry them. I've been trying to marry so that you can have a mother when I legally adopt you. I've been doing this for you."

Lee didn't know what to say. He didn't have to since Neji spoke next.

"We split up and looked everywhere. It wasn't until now that I remembered what I'd said to you about jumping off the bridge. I shouldn't have said that. I know how much you'd wanted to compete in that tournament too. I know that you really did try to get there. I probably wouldn't have even tried if I were you."

Naruto spoke next. "Yeah! Now we have even more practice for next year."

"Not to mention we got to check out everyone else's moves and analyze them." Sasuke added.

"Yeah. Everyone looked really weak anyways. Maybe next year, they'll be strong enough to fight us." Kiba bragged. Akamaru barked cheerfully.

"What about Sakura and Hinata?" Lee asked quietly.

"We're right here!" Sakura chirped from behind everyone else. She had a couple scratches, but nothing little kids don't get playing on a playground. Hinata was in the same condition.

"Gaara was in such a rush, he didn't see how it ended. Sure they ganged up on us, but that was only because we were trying to avoid a fight. Once they really got on our nerves, we really beat the crap out of them. Sha!" _She's so cute, _Lee thought.

"I could never hate you, me or Sakura. We're fine." Hinata said sheepishly. _So is she…_

"I could never hate one of my old teammates." TenTen chimed in. _Why were all the girls so cute?_

"You better not go and die. Suicide is stupid, bushy brow." Ino said with a grin. _Except maybe her…_

"It's too much work hating someone." Shikamaru said lazily. _Figures._

"Hating makes me hungry." Choji added. _Everything makes you hungry…_

Shino didn't say anything, but just nodded. _Have I ever heard him speak before?_

Lee walked up and grabbed Neji's face. "You are not white… and I do not see any black spots… And Ino, Kiba, TenTen, and Choji too!" He walked over to Kiba and patted Akamaru on the head. "You are alive and wagging your tail!" He approached Shino. "You are healthy and alive!" He gave Shino a small hug. There was a small hint of pink from his emotionless face. He danced over to Naruto. "Open your mouth."

Naruto gave him a look but did anyway. "You don't smell much better, but your clothes are not ripped and you have all of your teeth!" Lee walked over to Hinata before Naruto could be offended. He looked at Sakura's hands and grabbed them.

"You have all of your fingers!" He turned to Hinata and gave her a giant hug. He had to; she was too cute. She let out a small gasp. "Oh Hinata! You are alive and not decomposing!" He ran over to Gai.

"You are not stunningly handsome and married to a beautiful woman! Thank god!" Everyone was a little offended, but said nothing. He ran over to Sasuke. "I can look at your pretty boy face and not your tombstone!" He walked slowly over to Gaara.

"And you… You are not a giant piece of Jell-O. And you did not destroy everything…" He leaned his head on Gaara's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Lee, are you alright? Are you sick?" Gai asked. Lee shook his head.

"No. I just happened to meet with an angel."

"An angel? Lee, that's…"

Gaara cut in. "Hey, it's Christmas Eve. Anything can happen."

Everyone stared before nodding their heads. This was strange enough; who was to say there weren't any angels?

"You believe me Gaara?"

Gaara replied with a kiss. "Of course I do."

There was a loud "aaawww!" from his friends. "I always knew you two were meant for each other!" Sakura said with a squeal. Even Hinata was blushing and smiling. Lee turned bright scarlet.

"Don't be embarrassed." Gaara whispered in his ear. Lee nodded as they made their way home.

Once they were at Hinata's house, they started their meal. Everyone got a heaping serving of warm food and a full glass of eggnog. They all made a toast to strong relationships and were about to take a big drink when the doorbell rang. Lee volunteered to answer it and found himself looking up at Kakashi and the Hokage.

"Kakashi-sensei! Hokage! You're alive!" He grabbed both of them in a giant hug. The Hokage chuckled. "I know I'm old, but I'm not ready to die yet."

"Well, with all the snow, he might've been worried." Kakashi pointed out.

Lee let them go and watched them take a seat at the table. Instead of rejoining them, he stepped out into the snow. It was true that the weather was terrible, but the snow was beautiful. It sparkled such a bright white against the night sky. Like it came from an angel.

_Ah yes. You still need to help me with that._

Tenshi's words echoed in his head. How was he supposed to help him get his wings?

He remembered something Gai had told him. _Every time a bell rings…_

"Angel gets his wings," he whispered, finishing the old saying aloud. Did he have to ring it? He guessed so.

He turned and looked up at the little bell above Hinata's door that you were supposed to reach up ring when you came over. She said that knocking startled her too much.

He stood on his tip-toes like he always had to and grabbed the string. He swayed it side to side so that he could hear the tinkling of the little ball hitting the brass edges. When he finished, he waited.

A moment or so later, Tenshi appeared before him. His white robe and blonde hair mixed so perfectly with the falling snow. He smiled with his smooth pearly teeth at Lee. Then, he closed his arms and spread his arms apart. The falling snow gathered at Tenshi's back and shaped into a pair of feathery white wings. He spread them and flapped them a couple times before opening his blue eyes.

"Lee, you've given me my wings. I'm a true angel now. I can go proudly back up to heaven."

Lee smiled in awe at his angel. "You're beautiful." Lee whispered to him. Tenshi chuckled.

"Not as beautiful as what is in here." Tenshi came forward and pointed to his chest, right where his heart was. Lee beamed.

"Before you go back to heaven, I wanted to ask if Takeshi was back to normal as well."

"He is sitting at home with his family and enjoying a wonderful Christmas Eve."

Lee nodded. Tenshi began rising into the air.

"Should you lose your way again, just remember that I'm way up there, watching over you. When your time comes to leave this earth, I'll be there to take you to heaven and you'll become my reincarnation's guardian angel."

"That's how it works?"

"Better believe it."

Lee smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

Tenshi gave him a nod and began rising higher. "Thank you so much, Lee, for giving me my wings. I promise to do the same for you in my next life."

Lee watched him go wordlessly. He watched until he could only see a small white dot. Hinata stepped outside.

"Was that you who rang the bell?"

Lee ignored her and watched Tenshi disappear into the heavens.

_No, Tenshi. Thank _you. _ Thank you so much for giving me my life back._

**The End**

**Epilogue **

The next morning Rock Lee woke up to find Gaara sleeping next to him. He got up and went to the bathroom to brush his slightly mused hair and saw something odd in the mirror. There, on the left side of his neck, was the kanji symbol for Love. Just like the one Gaara had on his forehead. Rock Lee put his hand on it for a moment and smiled. With a smile on his face he went back into his and Gaara's room and crawled back into bed. _**This** was where he belonged._

**Poison­-** Thank you so much if you've read this far. I'm truly thankful. This story was typed over my winter break, so it was short but I loved typing it. My Rock Lee action figure was at my side the whole time, urging me to type on. If you tell any friends about this story, I'd really appreciate it. If you read this far or any of it at all, I love you so much! Except Foxglove. I made her read it, so she doesn't count. I don't care what kind of review it is as long as I get at least one! This is my first fanfic that I've ever posted, so I tried to make it a good one. You may put suggestions in you reviews. Please do so that I can improve my writing. You can even give me your email address if you want a reply to your review. If there's a lot, I'll try my hardest to answer them all! Thank you so much! I'm truly grateful!

**Foxglove-** OMG! Sooooooooo Cute!!!!!! All bubbly and gushy…sorry… And I do too count! I wanted to read it anyway…and you did not make me read it. I pestered you to let me read it! I'm pretty sure everything is all good and correct. If it's not…please forgive me . ; … We love you all! And Merry Christmas… (Since it's a Christmas story…)


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